ecline

Could, maybe, might, raises questions, suggests, blah, blah. Totally useless "article". It doesn't even qualify as an opinion piece. And the first rule of medicine has been broken for ages. Just ask the folks who wish they still had body parts that physicians and psychiatrists convinced them to have cut off. Or the people forced to take COVID "vaccines", or everyone forced to pay more than the rest of the world for prescription drugs. Is RFK Jr. the right guy for the job? I don't know. But all the folks before him were clearly the wrong people for the job.

I applied with my digital work permit. I had to go to our HR department and they either got a printout from the labor office or they already had it on hand, not sure which. But the printed copy has a lot more info on it than is shown in the app. If I ever get the call for the MOI interview I will get a new printout since I have renewed my WP once since the application.

Thanks for that. Please do let me know if he gets a call. So far nobody has shared anything with me, given any updates, etc. The only reason I know my docs made it to the MOI is I called them myself and asked sometime last year. The person I talked to sounded very annoyed that I had called, told me I wouldn't get my interview in 2023 and probably not in 2024 either. He then told me to never call him again. Maybe he was having a bad day :-(

My company is only extending my contract another two years starting now. My docs went to the MOI around Sept 2022. Not looking good....

For sure I'm not doing that :-)

I know you are correct. It's just disheartening and I am very much wanting to retire. If they would let me give up my work permit, I wouldn't care that much if it took another 5 years. But it is what it is. Suck it up and one day it will happen. (End of whining session)

I applied in June 2021, so I called the MOI today to check my status. Last year the Bangkok special Branch told us they sent my docs to the MOI in August last year. Today the MOI told me they received my docs in December of last year and that there was zero chance of an interview this year and that there was a good chance I won't get an interview next year either. I don't know what happened there, but my citizenship bid seems to have been been set back by quite a while. The guy on the phone implied that I should not call again and that someone would be in touch when my time comes. 37 years in this country and I have always tried to do the right thing. It sure doesn't seem to count for much.....

What phone number would one call to check on this? I applied in June '21. It would be interesting to see what they say about a possible time frame for the MOI interview.

So I had a similar experience with the consulate in Chiang Mai. They said they couldn't issue a letter saying I intend to renounce my citizenship. I relayed this to the SB in BKK and they sent me a sample letter from a previous American applicant. The gist of the letter was simply that the US has no insight into the intentions of its citizens and therefore cannot attest to them. That text plus passport number and SB case number was enough to satisfy SB and the consulate was happy to notarize it. I can dig the letter up if someone wants it.

Could well be. I think mine went closer to the middle of July

Oh boy. I guess I will stop whinging now...

This is really discouraging :-( My docs went to the MOI 8 months ago. I had hoped I would get my interview this year, but I guess that ain't gonna happen. Does anyone know how many times per year they conduct interviews normally?

Thanks for the info. I certainly won't be giving up my WP before the MOI interview. SB sent my docs to the MOI already, so it would be pretty lame to not wait at least until the interview with them was complete. I was thinking maybe it would be ok after having taken the oath. I guess I will see what people say about the process as time goes on and make a decision as I get a bit closer to the end of the process.

Does anyone have a definitive answer as to when an applicant for citizenship can give up their work permit? My documents have only just been sent to MOI since applying 14 months ago. I will be wanting to retire sooner rather than later and I am wondering if I really need to maintain my WP right up to the moment of getting my Thai ID card. Is it OK give it up after the MOI interview? After taking the oath? Any insight would be appreciated. Cheers!

Yeah, covid definitely threw a spanner into the works. I applied one year ago and only had my NIA interview in February, nearly nine months after I applied. Since you applied, applications appear to be taking a bit longer to process. Interesting to hear about your work permit. I am pretty much ready to retire, but I don't dare turn in my work permit just yet. I will probably wait until the MOI interview before I do that.